XP install EULA: OEM vs FPP

[FCCapproved]

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back. I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I take a
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.
- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money. Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done). However, I built the other system and paid full price for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM. I'd like
to move to to another system.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back.

Back from whom or where?

You can install the FPP on one (1) computer at a time...though you may need
to jump through some hoops to Authenticate/Validate the new install.

 

[Richard Urban]

"(e-mail address removed)"

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back. I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's
slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on
it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I take
a
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might
have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.
- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money. Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done). However, I built the other system and paid full price
for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM. I'd
like
to move to to another system.

You seem to have a retail version of Windows XP (opening folder).

Remove from the old computer and you can legally install on a new computer.
Make sure that there are Windows XP drivers available for your new hardware.

 

[Jose]

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back.  I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I takea
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.
- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money.  Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done).  However, I built the other system and paid full price for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM.  I'd like
to move to to another system.

Ciminy. With a 3 year capacitor life, my Sony TV has been dead 3
decades.

 

[Jose]

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back.  I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I takea
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.
- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money.  Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done).  However, I built the other system and paid full price for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM.  I'd like
to move to to another system.

Ciminy. With a 3 year capacitor life, my Sony TV has been dead 3
decades.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

"(e-mail address removed)"

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back. I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's
slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on
it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I take
a
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might
have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.

And they are right, as long as your version is a retail, not an OEM version.

- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money. Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

Generally, no. At most, you have to make a call.

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done). However, I built the other system and paid full price
for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder,

This indicates retail packaging. OEM versions are often a CD
shrink-wrapped to a card. A large clue is where the COA or license key
sticker is: of there's a COA sticker on the PC, it's OEM. If there's no
sticker on the PC and the CD Install Key is in the folder somewhere, it's
retail or possibly Upgrade.

If it's an upgrade CD, all is not lost. You simply need to have a
qualifying CD for a qualifying previous version, and insert it when asked.
You do NOT have to install that version first.

I don't think this is OEM. I'd like
to move to to another system.

If you have a retail package, and it sounds like you do, there is no problem
with moving the license. At very worst, you will have to make a
five-minute toll-free phone call when you activate. If you are asked, and
often you aren't, simply say you are reinstalling.

MS is aware that once in a while, Windows reinstalls are necessary.

As to the old box, you need do nothing other than stop using it. However,
if it has data you require, attach the old drive to the new system and copy
the data over. If it HAD data that you consider private, and you want to
ensure that it isn't recoverable, run a drive-wiping program on it, and
then remove the drive from the system.

Then, get safety googles and a hammer, and beat the * out of the drive,
ensuring that you shatter the platters. Call it therapy.

Then, dispose of the remains in the appropriate manner for your area. Most
jurisdictions have electronics recycling or disposal facilities.

HTH
-pk

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard

Not correct. The OEM license is tied to the *computer*, and it may
never be moved to another computer.

For a long time, it wasn't clear exactly what constituted the original
computer, and many people felt that replacing the motherboard made it
a different computer. However, Microsoft has clarified the situation.
See
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/a...
or http://tinyurl.com/384gx5

which states

"If you acquired Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer from a
major manufacturer (sometimes referred to as an Original Equipment
Manufacturer or OEM), Windows Vista will require re-activation if you
replace the motherboard with a motherboard not provided by the OEM."

So clearly, if you can reactivate it, it's legal to use it.

Although that page is specifically about Vista, it's reasonable to
assume that the same thing applies to XP.

(3yr capacitor
life, it's done).

Sorry, I have no idea what you mean by that. If you are saying that a
motherboard lasts only three years, that's completely false. Some may
fail after only three years, but no motherboard I've ever owned has
lasted anywhere near such a short time.

However, I built the other system and paid full price for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM. I'd like
to move to to another system.

I have no idea what you mean by "Full Price." Both retail and OEM
copies have been sold at a wide variety of prices, depending on where
and when you bought it.

Find the Product key with Magical Jellybean at
www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

and see if it contains the characters "OEM.:

 

[smlunatick]

I recently got my build-from-scratch-box back.  I'm not happy: The password
was changed; Some parts are gone; The video card was damaged; And, It's slow.

Windows XP was pulled out of the 2002 package for the 2nd time ever, full
price, requested a call to Microsoft, poof it works now, but slow and on it's
last legs.

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?
- Wikipedia calls this a FPP Full Purchase Product and says yes if I takea
sledgehammer to the old box (gladly...infact it runs so slow, they might have
lol.)
- Everyone I'm talking to says yes.
- However, Microsoft is a business and business are in business to make
money.  Would they say no, the day I return from the store and have
everything?

If it's OEM, I know the license is tied to the motherboard (3yr capacitor
life, it's done).  However, I built the other system and paid full price for
Windows XP in the shiney green folder, I don't think this is OEM.  I'd like
to move to to another system.

FPP versions of XP were usually delivered in a folder with an orange
colour label used for the CD key.

OEM versions were / are shipped in a CD case with a sticker for the CD
key, which should be stuck onto the PC's "case."

 

[BillW50]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:54:37 -0700:

Not correct. The OEM license is tied to the *computer*, and it may
never be moved to another computer.

For a long time, it wasn't clear exactly what constituted the original
computer, and many people felt that replacing the motherboard made it
a different computer. However, Microsoft has clarified the situation.
See
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/a...
or http://tinyurl.com/384gx5

which states

"If you acquired Windows Vista pre-installed on a computer from a
major manufacturer (sometimes referred to as an Original Equipment
Manufacturer or OEM), Windows Vista will require re-activation if you
replace the motherboard with a motherboard not provided by the OEM."

So clearly, if you can reactivate it, it's legal to use it.

Although that page is specifically about Vista, it's reasonable to
assume that the same thing applies to XP.

So what does that mean? You can change the motherboard, power supply,
keyboard, mouse, RAM, cables, and drives. So there is nothing left
except the case?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

So what does that mean? You can change the motherboard, power
supply, keyboard, mouse, RAM, cables, and drives. So there is
nothing left except the case?

It's unclear is what it all means - 'computer'... is not defined.

So - possibly.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:54:37 -0700:

So what does that mean? You can change the motherboard, power supply,
keyboard, mouse, RAM, cables, and drives. So there is nothing left
except the case?

It isn't at all clear what constitutes the same computer. But as I've
said here many times in the past (with my tongue at least partly in my
cheek), especially since the OEM puts the tag identifying the Product
key and the license *on the case*, if it ever came to a lawsuit, the
customer might be able to successfully argue that yes, the case was
what made it remain the same computer.

But let me point out that a very similar situation exists with many
things besides computers, and even if you also replace the case. Cars,
for example. Let's say you register a car and get a license plate for
it. Then (perhaps a little at a time, and perhaps after a series of
collisions), you replace all the components--the body, the frame, the
engine, the transmission, the wheels, the tires, the seats, etc.

Is it the same car? Is your license plate still valid? Almost
certainly the government would consider that your license plate was
still valid.

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Question: If my 2002 system is old, can I put Windows XP on a new
build-from-scratch-box?

YES you can install YOUR RETAIL version on your new system. I can also
confirm that you will be able to activate it online without talking to
anyone at Microscum unless you have tried to activate within the last
120 days. The trick is M$ servers are wiped clean every 120 days so it
is a good idea to keep a diary of when you last activated using a
particular serial number. You then need to ADD 121 days to it and you
will be OK. 121 days to allow for time difference on this planet.

Don't listen to those scum bags called MVPs because they don't have
respect for people's money. They only look after their own bank balance
and so you are not likely to get correct advise from them. What is
illegal to them should be legal to majority of us unless M$ has the guts
to test their licensing terms at the court of law.

Hope this helps.

 

[ANONYMOUS]

So what does that mean? You can change the motherboard, power supply,
keyboard, mouse, RAM, cables, and drives. So there is nothing left
except the case?

You do all this in stages. Change you Mobo and then a week later change
your HD then 3 days later change your RAM etc. Changing of power
supply or keyboard or mouse or any USB devises did not affect anyway.
So go ahead and do whatever you can. M$ is facing serious competition
and so activation is not going to last for ever. What might happen is
that all software suppliers will start selling online and all software
will be hosted on remote sites and this might solve the problem of
piracy if this is really the problem. I don't think piracy is a serious
problem as far as software is concerned because only the hobbyist are
involved who would not buy the software in the first place. Serious
users always buy their own software like I do!.

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Is it the same car? Is your license plate still valid? Almost
certainly the government would consider that your license plate was
still valid.

In UK we can put our personalized license plate (we call it number
plate) on any new car we buy. We don't have to have the number plate
supplied by the car vendor. All it requires is to register the number
plate and the news car with our DVLA - Driver's and Vehicle Licensing
Authority. Microscum's licensing rules had always been dodgy and so
activation of M$ products have become pretty easy these days.

Have you finished learning how to format and reinstall a new OS on a
system? You have said many time here that you have not reformatted your
HD since Windows 3.0! I wonder how you have managed to run XP and Vista
on your clap trap system! I can't run Vista properly on my P4 system
but you seem to be able to do on your AT system (or even XT)!

 

[Bob I]

It isn't at all clear what constitutes the same computer. But as I've
said here many times in the past (with my tongue at least partly in my
cheek), especially since the OEM puts the tag identifying the Product
key and the license *on the case*, if it ever came to a lawsuit, the
customer might be able to successfully argue that yes, the case was
what made it remain the same computer.

But let me point out that a very similar situation exists with many
things besides computers, and even if you also replace the case. Cars,
for example. Let's say you register a car and get a license plate for
it. Then (perhaps a little at a time, and perhaps after a series of
collisions), you replace all the components--the body, the frame, the
engine, the transmission, the wheels, the tires, the seats, etc.

Is it the same car? Is your license plate still valid? Almost
certainly the government would consider that your license plate was
still valid.

But the title sure would be a mess! <VBG>

 

[BillW50]

In ANONYMOUS typed on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:21:08 +0100:

You do all this in stages. Change you Mobo and then a week later
change your HD then 3 days later change your RAM etc. Changing of
power supply or keyboard or mouse or any USB devises did not affect
anyway. So go ahead and do whatever you can. M$ is facing serious
competition and so activation is not going to last for ever. What
might happen is that all software suppliers will start selling online
and all software will be hosted on remote sites and this might solve
the problem of piracy if this is really the problem. I don't think
piracy is a serious problem as far as software is concerned because
only the hobbyist are involved who would not buy the software in the
first place. Serious users always buy their own software like I do!.

I remember listening to NPR once in about 2002 (the only radio station
that I could pull in) driving through Michigan. And they reported that
Microsoft claimed that one out of three Microsoft products sold in
Michigan were illegal copies.

I have no problems of Microsoft going after pirates. What I do have a
problem with is when companies also go after legal users. As when they
go after the pirates, they also make things harder for legal users. As
legal users often end up buying more than one legal copy to make it work
for one reason or another. It isn't just Microsoft, but lots of
companies are doing this (I have lost thousands of dollars from this
myself). Yet I know of no lawsuits to stop this practice.

 

[M]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:54:37 -0700:

So what does that mean? You can change the motherboard, power supply,
keyboard, mouse, RAM, cables, and drives. So there is nothing left
except the case?

Actually, you could have nothing left but a screw.

M

 

[Bruce Chambers]

But let me point out that a very similar situation exists with many
things besides computers, and even if you also replace the case. Cars,
for example. Let's say you register a car and get a license plate for
it. Then (perhaps a little at a time, and perhaps after a series of
collisions), you replace all the components--the body, the frame, the
engine, the transmission, the wheels, the tires, the seats, etc.

Is it the same car? Is your license plate still valid? Almost
certainly the government would consider that your license plate was
still valid.

But let's hope they take away the *driver's* license, after all that. :-}


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

But let's hope they take away the *driver's* license, after all that. :-}

LOL!

 

[Roy Smith]

It isn't at all clear what constitutes the same computer. But as I've
said here many times in the past (with my tongue at least partly in my
cheek), especially since the OEM puts the tag identifying the Product
key and the license *on the case*, if it ever came to a lawsuit, the
customer might be able to successfully argue that yes, the case was
what made it remain the same computer.

But let me point out that a very similar situation exists with many
things besides computers, and even if you also replace the case. Cars,
for example. Let's say you register a car and get a license plate for
it. Then (perhaps a little at a time, and perhaps after a series of
collisions), you replace all the components--the body, the frame, the
engine, the transmission, the wheels, the tires, the seats, etc.

Is it the same car? Is your license plate still valid? Almost
certainly the government would consider that your license plate was
still valid.

I don't think that they would still consider it the same car once the body
had been changed. Because when you change the body, you'd also have to
change the VIN number of the vehicle. And I could be wrong, but isn't it
against the law in most states to tamper with the VIN number plate that is
attached to the body of a car? But this analogy is a moot point because not
all states tie the plate to the VIN number of a car. Where I live the plate
is owned by the person, so when you sell your car you keep your plate and
put it on the new car and re-register it.